Fire-escape.



-PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

R. D. WARFIELD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.18,1908.

UNITED s ratus PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN DORSEY WARFIELD, OF GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907'.

ummified Apri118, 1906. Serial No. 312,410.

fire-escapes, and more particularly to such as are adapted to beattached the body of.

the user for permitting him todescend from a burning building, theobject of the invention being to so construct a fire-escape of thecharacter specified that it shall be simple and so that its operationshall be completely within the control of the user.

A further obj ect. is to construct the device in such manner that itwill When not in use occu y very little space and so that it can be quic'ly put in service.

A further object is to provide a fire-escape of the class mentioned bymeans of which the user can control his descent without the use ofauxiliary brake mechanism.

A further object is to so construct the device that the user supportedthereby can re main'at any desired point above the ground without theapplication of any lock or auxiliary brake device, thus adapting thedevice for supporting a platform for artisans 'in painting, repairing,or performing other work on a building.

Vvith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangement,of

parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is' a view of a fire-escapeembodying myimprov'cn'ients. Fig. 3 is a Fig. 2.

The frame of the device comprises side plates 1 1, suitably SMlCQCl.apart and connected at their edges by a covering-plate 2. The parts areunited rigidly by suitable bolts 35 4-, passing through the side plates.The plates 1 1 of the frame are made with alined openin 5 to formbearings for a drum 6, the lalter being provided with annular flanges 7at its respective ends, and said flanges have sectional view at rightangles to Fig. 2 is a sectional view.

outwardly-projecting annular shoulders 8, which constitute journals forthe drum in the openings 5 of the side plates 1. A smaller drum 9 issimilarly constructed and mounted in like manner in openings 10 in theside plates 1.' The drum 6 is provided with a com aratively largegear-wheel 11, which mes es witha pinion 12 on the smaller drum 9. Astrap 13 is connected wit-h the frame to be passed around the body ofthe user, and another strap or wire 14 is attached to the frame andprovided with a loop for the,

reception of a foot (or feet) of the user. A cable 15, preferably ofwire, is wound on the larger drum 6 and-securely fastened at one endthereto. The other endof this cable is wound one or more times aroundthe smaller drum 9 in a direction. opposite to that which said drum willbe turned by the drum 6 when the cable is being unwound from the latter.The free end of the cable is provided with a hook 16 for attachment to awindow sill or other with a crank-handle 17 for operating the same, andthis handle is preferably made in two parts hinged together, so that itcan be folded when the device is not in use, and

thus enable the device to be made compact for storage in a trunkorvalise.

. .In using the devicethe hook 16 is attached to awindow-sill or otherob 'ect. The user will fasten the strap 13 around '5: body and place hisfoot in the loop of the Wire 14. He will then let himselfout of theWindow. and by turning the smaller drum 9 by means of the crank 17descend to the ground. As the ca ble 15 passesabout the drum 9 in adirection opposit e tothe direction which said drum is part of abuilding or an object therein. The smaller drum 9 is provided caused torotate by the gear on the drum 6, 5

the friction between saidcable and the drum 6 will be sufiicient tosustain the weight of the user, so that he will not descend except whenhe turns the drums to permit the un winding of the cable from the largerdrum and its passage" around the smaller drum. Thus it will be seen thatno auxiliary brake or stop device is necessary and that the ,device maybe employed for supporting a )latform for use of artisans at work on abuil ing.

-With my improvements the speed of descent Will be under com )letccontrol of the user, andshould he release the crank he would merelyremain suspended and would not be precipitated. to the ground, as wouldbe the case were the user of a brake-controlled escape to unconsciouslyor accidentally release the "brake.

My improvements are simple and compact in construction, as well as safeand accurate in operation.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction ofmy invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope, and hence 1 do not wish to limit myself to the precise detailsherein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent. is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination. with a frameto descend with the user, of two drums mounted in said frame, a cabletending to unwind from one drum and wind on the other when the weight ofthe user is applied to the frame, and means for causing motion of onedrum to effect opposite motion of the other, whereby said drums andframe will be maintained at rest,

and means for positively and manually rotat ing said drums to cause thedevice and the user to descend.

2. .A device of the character described, comprising a frame, two drumstherein geared together, whereby the motion of one drum effects oppositemotion of the other and a cable secured-to and wound on one of saiddrums, and then passing around the other drum in a direction opposite tothe direction ofrotation of said last-mentioned drum, and means withinreach of the user for'manually rotating said drums to-cause the descentof the device and the user.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a frame to descendwith the user, two drums mounted in said frame, one of said drums largerthan the other, gearing connecting said drums, whereby the motion of onedrum effects opposite motion of the other, a cable secured to and woundon the larger drum, and then passing about the smaller drum in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation of said smaller drum,and means within reach of the user for manually rotating said drums andcausing descent of the device and the user.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a frame to descendwith the user, two drums mounted therein, one of said drums being largerthan. the other, a gear wheel carried by the larger drum, a pinioncarried by the smaller drum and meshing with said gear-wheel,-meansattached to the smaller drum and within reach of the user for rotatingsaid drum to cause descent of the device, a cable secured to and woundon the larger drum and then passed about the smaller drum in a directionop osite to the direction of rotation of said smali er drum, and thefree end of the cable adapted for attachment to a part from which thedevice can be suspended.

5. A device ofthe character described,

comprising a frame, means for attaching said frame to the body of theuser, two drums mounted in said frame and geared together, whereby themotion of one drum effects opposite motion of the other, a cablesecuredto and wound on one of said'drums and then passing about theother drum in' a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of saidlast-mentioned drum, an attaching device secured to the free end of saidcable, and means within reach of the 'user for manually rotating saiddrums to cause descent of the device and the user.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a frame, two drumsmounted therein, gearing connecting said drums, a cable on said drums,the engagement of the cable with the two drums causing said cable totend to impart to the two drums, a motion which is opposed by saidgearing, means for menu-. ally rotating said drums to cause the device.

to descend, and means for attaching the free end of the device to asupport.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a frame having two 0)enings in each of its sides, two drums, each naving annular shouldersat its ends forming journals mounted in the openings in. the frame,gearing connecting said drums, a cable secured to and wound on one drumand having frictional engagement with the other drum, the engage-- mentof the cable with the two drums causing the cable to tend to impart tothe two drums, a motion which is opposed by the gearing, means formanually operating said drums to cause the device to descend, and meansfor attaching the free .end of the cable to asupport.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

REUBEE DORSEY WARFIEIID.

, \Vitnesses;

J. B. DIAMOND, ARTHUR V. lilOGAN.

